Open Gate: Dry Creek Livestock Day

Holistic Management of Sheep, Goats and Cattle

February 11, 2016Dry Creek LivestockPoetry, TX (near Terrell, TX)

Dry Creek Livestock Day is a collaboration between HMI and Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) as part of TOFGA’s pre-conference workshop series and is part of HMI’s Open Gate Learning Series. Open Gates are peer-to-peer action-based learning days with short presentations and small group exercises geared for participants to share discoveries and management techniques with guidance from experienced facilitators and producers.

Whether you are an agricultural producer or just interested in sheep, goats or grass-fed cattle and/or healthy food, this is a day for you.

Register

HMI is providing this Open Gate as part of TOFGA’s pre-conference series, and TOFGA is handling all registrations at $50 per person which includes lunch.

In the beginning, the Celellas would have to feed up to 15 rolls of hay to less than 10 cows. After 5 years of planned grazing, the soil is greatly improved. Today they do not feed any hay and have maintained a flock of 60-90 Dorper sheep and 11 Devon cows. They credit HMI with giving them knowledge and a tool box to deal with the extreme East Texas weather, which has included 3 floods and a 100+ days of no rain in 2015.

The Celellas are committed to helping people learn to manage their animals for vibrant health. Some of this information exchange will happen at the comfortable facilities of their Rockwall Equine Center and Poetry Animal Hospital at our Dry Creek Livestock Day.

Presenters

Lauri Celella graduated in HMI’s 2013 class of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, Women in Texas. Along with her husband, veterinarian David Celella, she runs Dry Creek Livestock with her Dorper sheep and Devon cattle near Terrell, Texas.

Dr. Celella earned his DVM from Texas A&M in 1089. He opened Rockwall Equine Center in 1992 and was recognized as the TVMA Equine Practitioner of the Year in 1999. He recently added a small animal pet practice as Poetry Animal Hospital in the same location. He is a member of the AAEP and past President of the Appaloosa Cutting Horse Association. Dave is also an accomplished western artist and sculptor.

Dr. Kraig Stemme, DVM: Owner/Operator of Lake Fork Kikos

Dr. Kraig Stemme, DVM grew up on the family farm with cattle and pigs, so his initial exposure to goats was rather limited. For the last 20+ years his family has lived in Texas and he’s become much more aware of the impact that goat production has on the state’s livestock economy. After considerable research, he and his wife Suzanne decided to produce high quality Kiko breeding stock. They have been impressed with the strong maternal instincts, fertility and lack of delivery problems with their Kikos. Despite very severe drought conditions in their part of the country during the past two years, the Kikos have grown quickly and have not had parasite problems. The Stemmes are carefully breeding for the best genetics and are committed to testing their Kikos to confirm their decisions. Lake Fork Kikos is located in Alba, TX.

Monica Purviance is the District Conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Greenville, Texas. She has worked in Hunt County since 1994 and has been the District Conservationist in Greenville since 2006. Monica graduated from Tarleton State University in 1993 with a degree in General Agriculture. She lives in Cooper, Texas with her husband Jesse and their daughter Rilee.

C.D. Pounds, also a former participant in our Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Training Program, grew up on a ranch in Cheyenne, Wyoming and moved to Texas in 1980 where she worked as a stockbroker in Amarillo and Dallas. She purchased 80 acres in East Texas and built Triple Cross Farms, which is a working farm/retreat. Her world was revolutionized when she became involved with HMI and she was inspired to utilize Holistic Grazing Planning to improve soil, decrease dependence on water, grow more grass and improve profits. Since completing Holistic Management training, C.D.’s plan is to build a sustainable farm and she is now transitioning to raise grassfed beef with an organic garden for her guests to experience. Additionally, she is now in training to become a Holistic Management Certified Educator.

James Buratti: TOFGA

James has been a volunteer with TOFGA since 2009, assisting with their technology needs and TCOOPS. When not being a tech nerd for the City of Pflugerville,TX, he and his wife Jennifer own Bohemian Bounty where they raise pastured dorper and cheviot sheep. James is also a PhD student at Texas State University studying local and organic food production. Recently, James co-authored a chapter on Local Food networks for the just published college textbook, Urban Horticulture.

Peggy Cole: HMI Program Manager

Peggy Cole, representing Holistic Management International, will explain HMI’s mission and training programs. Peggy has been managing programs in Holistic Management for 25 years. She has a passion for the land and all the critters who share it.